Out Of Reach
by calico cat
Summary: Sixteen-year-old Hermione has just found her first true love.Life is just too good to be true....until it happens.She is desperate to bring back what is gone forever.Will she really do the impossible? And what things will she discover in the process? R&R!
1. Summer Life

"Race ya?"  
  
"You're on." Hermione and Cammi got into starting positions at the edge of the pavement, one foot on the grass.  
  
"Get set. . .GO!!" After pushing off their right feet, both girls dashed to the pool, being careful not to trip on the hard surface. The race was a close one, but Hermione was all of one step ahead. That was all it took to win. The girls giggled when they emerged to the surface.  
  
"You know you got lucky," Cammi said.  
  
"Yeah, sure. Whatever. You just don't like loosing," Hermione replied.  
  
"Rematch?"  
  
"Agreed."  
  
So the girls once again took their places.  
  
"On yo' mark. . ." Cammi began in a slang tone, which made Hermione giggle. "Hey wait, I have an idea." Her voice dropped down to a whisper. She pointed her eyes in the direction of Margaret, who was lying at the pool's edge, sunbathing. While reading a magazine, she dangled her feet into the crystal clear water.  
  
An evil grin spread across the face of Hermione's partner in crime. Hermione nodded in agreement with the plan, knowing exactly what was going through Cammi's mind.  
  
"On your mark," she began once more.  
  
"Get set."  
  
"GO!"  
  
Camryn ran toward Maggie who was totally unaware of her upcoming fate. She took a running leap as she neared the pool and broke the water's still surface with a humongous cannon ball jump--sending many waves and splashes at Margaret. At this, the shocked victim screamed and jumped up to a standing position in surprise. Hermione took her cue and ran at full force toward her drenched friend, who was now scolding Cammi with a raging temper. Camryn just laughed, however.  
  
As Hermione approached her, she stuck out her arms and bombarded Maggie. In she went, magazine al all. The two cutups almost died laughing. Cammi started choking and grasping for air and Hermione had to whack her on the back really hard before they regained control of themselves.  
  
"Oh my God! I can't believe you two! How could you!"  
  
"Haha Maggie! Wasn't that just the funniest thing you've ever seen? Oh my gosh we are so good," Cammi said. The two girls gave each other a high- five.  
  
"No! That was so incredibly mean! Not only have you ruined my magazine, but also my clothes! Oh my God!"  
  
"A: it's just water and B: you are wearing a bathing suit for cryin' out loud!" Cammi pointed out.  
  
"But it's not suppose to get wet!" Margaret yelled. She was beginning to sound ridiculous.  
  
"It's a BATHING SUIT. They are supposed to get wet! That's what bathing suits are for!" Camryn spat back.  
  
"Uhrg! Screw you Bitches!" She grunted, pushed herself out of the pool and stomped into the house. Her long blonde hair lay in strings down her back.  
  
"Gosh, what's gotten into her?"  
  
"Beats me."  
  
"She's got a lil' bitchy attitude goin' there."  
  
"Yup," Hermione replied, beginning to feel a bit guilty for what they had done. "Maybe we should go apologize."  
  
"Apologize? Apologize?! Why should we apologize! She's the one that called us bitches. Plus, she deserved it; laying there all innocent in her little skimpy bikini. She was just begging for it."  
  
"But. . ."  
  
"Aww come-on. She'll get over it sooner or later," Camryn interrupted. Hermione glanced toward the house and turned back to Cammi.  
  
"Okay, you're right. She'll get over it sometime."  
  
"Sure she will. So anyway, remember that guy I was telling you about?" Cammi began to change topics.  
  
"Zak?"  
  
"Yeah, Zak. So he called me this morning, right, while you were in the shower."  
  
"Yeah, and?" Hermione asked for the rest.  
  
"He wants to meet me at London Central Cinema at 7:30!" Cammi squealed.  
  
"No way!"  
  
"Totally way! Oh my gosh!" Camryn gushed with a grin that went halfway across the world. Hermione couldn't help feeling happy for her friend and her spirits lightened.  
  
"Oh I'm so excited! I thought he'd never ask!"  
  
The girls discussed Zak for some time while the high-noon sun beat against their backs.  
  
"So how's the guy department in your neck of the woods? I've never met a wizard boy before." The question did not surprise Hermione, for she had known Cammi and Margaret all her life. They were the only muggles, other than her parents, that knew that Hermione was a witch.  
  
"Well there's Harry and Ron, but we're just. . ."  
  
"Harry? Ron? Since when did they get into the picture? Tell me more!" Cammi interrupted.  
  
"No, no, you don't understand. We're just f. . ."  
  
"Why are you being so shy? I won't tell anything. Not even to Maggie if you don't want. I'm totally cool with that."  
  
"I know you won't tell! I tell you everything and I trust you with my life. You know that. It's just that there's nothing to tell, because we're just fr. . ."  
  
"Friends." Hermione was cutoff once again, but this time the voice was deeper. "Just friends."  
  
Cammi and Hermione turned around to see the voice's origin. There he stood, scar and all, with a smile plastered across his face.  
  
"Oh Harry!" Hermione said with surprise and jumped to her feet to greet the boy. She went over to him and embraced him with a hug. "How have you been? I haven't heard from you in over a month."  
  
" 'Just friends' my foot!" Cammi said under her breath.  
  
"Well that is one reason why I'm here. You see, earlier this week when I was at the Dursley'. . ."  
  
"They didn't hurt you did they?" He was interrupted.  
  
"No, no I'm fine. They are still afraid of Sirius, and they pretty much leave me alone. It's just that Dudley was having this temper tantrum, and he hit Hedwig's cage with a book." Harry showed Hermione the birds broken arm.  
  
"Oh, I see. Well that can be fixed. The Ministry won't have to know. Besides, it's just a little bit of healing magic; won't do any harm. By the way, how did you get here?"  
  
"I'm staying at Ron's house right now, but his parents are in Scotland on a visit. I used some of his floo powder. Hope you don't mind, there is a little bit of ash on the carpet. I can clean it up."  
  
"Oooh! No, don't bother. I will do it. Stay awhile, though. I'd like you to meet my friend Camryn Kellermann. Camryn, this is Harry, Harry Potter." The two shook hands in greeting. " I would also like you to meet my friend Margaret, but she is not in the greatest mood right now. It would probably be better if you met her later.  
  
"Ooh I see. So this is the famous Harry Potter that I hear so much about."  
  
Harry only blushed and began to change topics. The humid July air stuck to their skin. After Harry was informed that Cammi knew about the wizard world, the discussion grew from the muggle world to Hogwarts, Quiddich and the latest news. As the day wore on, the sun shrank closer to the horizon and it soon became time for Harry to leave.  
  
"I'd really love to stay and chat, but Ron and I are going to a Quiddich game tonight." He paused for a moment to glance at his watch. "Goodbye then. Nice to meet you, Camryn. Thank you so much for fixing Hedwig's wing. Just send her on her way when she is healed, she will know where to go."  
  
"Okay, bye Harry. See you at Kings Cross in September." Harry placed Hedwig on Hermione's shoulder and waved goodbye as we walked into the house. There was a whooshing sound as Harry apparated out of the chimney to Ron's house.  
  
The girls proceeded into their summer vacation home. Maggie sat at the kitchen table reading another magazine. Her drenched hair was put into curlers. She made no attempt to notice her friends as they entered the room. Cammi glanced at Margaret.  
  
"Gosh, I'm sorry. Can't you take a joke?" She said with sourness in her voice, but ignored. She stomped off. Hermione took a seat beside Maggie and thoughtfully pondered what to say.  
  
"Maggs, I'm really sorry. I wasn't thinking. I didn't know it would really upset you like this." Margaret continued to dis-acknowledge her presence, but appeared to be paying less attention to her readings.  
  
Hermione continued. " Okay, I understand not wanting to talk to me, so I'll leave you alone. I'm really sorry Margaret." At that, Hermione went upstairs and flung herself upon her bed.  
  
"She's really pissed," she told Camryn.  
  
"She's jus sad 'cuz she fell for it. She's way too sensitive," Cammi responded as she modeled her outfit in front of the mirror, checking her appearance. Hermione did not go further, for she knew there was no sense in arguing with Cammi. She had known Maggie and Cammi long enough to know that they were the most stubborn people on earth; nice, but stubborn. 


	2. Without Warning

1  
  
The honk of a car horn startled Camryn as she fastened her necklace around her neck. After taking one last glance at her appearance, she headed to the door.  
  
"See ya, Cammi. Good luck!"  
  
Camryn grinned. "Bye Hermione." She left the room, down the steps, and to the door.  
  
Hermione opened a drawer and pulled out a book entitled Beware! The Muggles Have Landed!. She then laid back, rested her head against the pillow and began to read. Hermione had liked this book, and rarely had a chance to read, since she was always studying. Glad for the opportunity, Hermione dove right into a scene in which the handsome prince is fighting a vicious muggle.  
  
The young witch became so involved in the plot, she did not notice when the door creaked slowly open and lay ajar. It came in silently and sat down upon her bed, glaring straight into the depths of Hermione's eyes. A cool breeze crept in through the open window, sending shivers down her spine. Closer and closer it came, moving as silent as the black of night; a panther stalking it's prey. The figure froze, waiting for just the right time - right minute, right second - before. . .  
  
"AHHHH!!!!!!" Hermione shrieked as an evil cackle arose and filled the room. Her book was torn from her hands. A cloaked figure stood before her, leaning closer and closer with each breath Hermione took. Its arms were outstretched toward her body with its long, bony, white fingers only centimeters from her skin. A dark, black hood concealed its face, or whatever there lay.  
  
Hermione cringed and made a desperate grab for her wand that lay on her nightstand. She was too late, for the intruder had already taken hold of it and was now pointing it directly at her, gesturing for an attack. Instinctively, she made her last attempt for safety. "HELP!!!!!!!!!!!" Hermione screamed and closed her eyes, blocking her vision from the blinding white light. Sharp nails scratched her skin as the thing grasped her. She began to feel dizzy as the room started to spin. She was unable move; unable to escape what was now approaching. . . 


	3. The Call

The pain slowly disappeared as the hooded figure loosed its grip on Hermione. The crazed laughed grew softer and softer until it was no more than a chuckle. Hermione remained cautious as she slowly opened one eye. She could recognize that giggle anywhere. The hooded figure took several steps back as it took of the hood, revealing a bright smiling face.  
  
Hermione took a deep breath and sighed, but her heart rate was still racing. She should have known. Anger made her fists tense, but she soon joined in with the laughter, knowing her comrade had pulled off a good revenge.  
  
"That was a good one, you can't deny it. You were scared like shit."  
  
"Yeah, I know. You got me; I fell for it. So were even now?"  
  
"Yeah we're even now," Margaret agreed as she threw the cloak on the bed.  
  
Both Margaret and Cammi knew about Hermione's experiences with "He who must not be named" and they knew it did not take much to get Hermione into a panic. Maggie put out her hand and Hermione shook it.  
  
"So where did you get that cloak? You looked really freakish."  
  
Maggie smiled. "Harry said I could use his since he had jeans and a t- shirt on under the cloak. I'm suppose to send it back with Hedwig when she's ready to go."  
  
"Oh you sly lil' Bitch!" Hermione exclaimed, but not in a mean way. Margaret did not take it offensively and giggled.  
  
Shortly after, Hermione once again picked up her book from the floor and searched for the right page. Margaret sat on her own bed beside Hermione's and started writing her story.  
  
Once again Hermione became sucked into the plot and her mind left 807 Beechur Dr. She was very startled when the telephone rang a half-hour later.  
  
Since Hermione was a muggle-born, she knew all about muggle gadgets, such as the telephone.  
  
"Hello?" She answered.  
  
"Hello Hermione, it's Mum. How are things?"  
  
"Oh hi Mum! Everything is just fine here. You?"  
  
"Well, were are all fine here."  
  
Ever since Hermione could remember, the three families (Margaret's, Cammi's and her own) had come to the vacation home and spent several weeks all together. Now that the girls were 16 and were able to drive, they were allowed to drive up on their own and stay for two months, the rest of the summer. It had been a month since they had arrived.  
  
"Listen, Hunny, Grandma Liz has recently fallen quite ill. Um, so we are going to fly over to America to go see her. I hate to cut your vacation so short, but I feel that this trip is really necessary under these circumstances. The plane leaves at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, so you have the rest of the week to pack and such. We will stay for the remainder of the summer. Bring everything with you. We will pick you up at 4:30 Thursday evening and stay in a hotel not far from the airport the night. You okay with all this?"  
  
"Um. . . um. . . yeah. . . right. Okay, so Margaret and Camryn are to stay here?"  
  
"Have them call their parents. Okay? So I will see you soon."  
  
"Bye Mum."  
  
"Bye Hermione."  
  
Hermione hung up the phone and laid back against the pillow. Hermione explained to Cammi who understood and called her parents. Hermione began packing. Once almost everything was together, she started her work on Hedwig's wing and sent her on her way with the black cloak. The girls then began making plans for the rest of the week. 


	4. Mirage

IV  
  
The plane's wheels struck ground at full force. It wound around the runways before coming to a complete halt at the appropriate gate. Hermione and her parents got up from their seats. After taking their carry-on bags from the overhead compartments, they exited the plane through the terminal.  
  
This was not Hermione's first visit to the states. She had come several times before to see her grandmother and also for vacation.  
  
Having awoken very early that morning to catch the flight, Hermione found herself drifting off to sleep in the backseat of the taxi. An image passed through her mind.  
  
It was a boy, quite handsome actually, with deep blue eyes and light- tanned skin. He brushed his reddish-blonde bangs out of his eyes and grinned at Hermione, with a smile to brighten the cloudiest day. Hermione smiled back, unable to take her eyes from the intriguing eternity of the boy's. Hermione could feel the warm sun-baked beneath her feet. The moist sea breeze swept her hair from her face and it danced in the wind. The boy's face grew closer and his soft brown freckles became more apparent. Hermione was pulled into a trance and caught in the web of love that the boy was spinning for her mind. He gently supported her head with his hand. Hermione felt as free as a bird. He was so close that she could feel the warmth of his lips, but not yet touching them. Hermione closed her eyes and released all the cares and worries from within her.  
  
Just as the boy moved in for the kiss, Hermione was suddenly awakened from her sleep.  
  
The car arrived at 1505 Katbyrd St. Hermione opened the door and got her luggage from the trunk as her father paid the cab driver. After they had retrieved all their luggage, they headed for the door. Upon knocking, a petite black-haired woman in a white apron answered the door.  
  
"Oh! You must be the Grangers! Elizabeth has been expecting you. Allow me to introduce myself; I am Jennifer McKeln, the house-nurse for Mrs. Granger," The woman spoke rapidly, not stopping to take a breath. "Elizabeth is in the living room. I'm not sure if she is up from her nap yet." Jennifer stepped aside to allow the family entryway into the home.  
  
"Hello Ms. Mckeln, nice to meet you," Hermione's mother said and introduced herself, followed by Hermione and her father who did the same and entered the house. The family put their bags by the steps and headed toward the living room.  
  
Hermione cringed and swallowed hard to keep back instinctive reactions. The sight was almost unbearable. Memories shot through her mind of the once energetic woman who won the Olympic gold in the 500-meter. This could not be. Who is this helpless lady? Hermione did not want to see it, not want to think it. She pushed all the oxygen tubes and machines out of her brain and tried to remember the old times.  
  
A congested cough came from the woman's mouth and she opened her eyes. Hermione had to blink many times to keep back the tears. What little spark of life was left in Elizabeth came out in her face at the sight of her family. Her eyes twinkled with delight.  
  
"Well, hello! How nice to see all of you." She paused to let out another cough and continued in the same raspy voice. "How have you been? I hear you and you friends drove all the way up to the vacation house alone this year. How was. . ." Her grandmother stopped in mid-sentence to take another huge breath and cough before continung. ". . .it up there?"  
  
"It was uh. . .um. . .just fine thank you," Hermione stuttered, trying to cope with the horribly depressing scene.  
  
"Well isn't that nice. Things are great up here. I feel fine, couldn't be better." There was a deadly silent pause in which Mrs. Granger paused and continued. "Anyway, you must be tired from that long trip. Have you had supper yet? How about pizza, nice American pizza? Jennifer can you please call Domino's and order two large pizzas? Thanks, Doll. I don't know what I'd do without you. Before Hermione could blink, her grandmother had fallen back into a deep sleep.  
  
"The medicine makes her very drowsy. Don't worry she does this quite often. Now, who's up for some pizza?"  
  
* * *  
  
Week after week passed by slowly. Most days the family stayed by their grandmother, but some days they went out to shop, see the sights and things. One moth after they had arrived, Hermione got word of new plans.  
  
"Hermione, can I speak with you for a moment?"  
  
"Sure Mum, hold on." Hermione logged off the computer. "Yes?" Her mother came and sat beside her daughter in the other computer chair.  
  
"Listen, Papa and I have been thinking lately, and we both agree that standing by Grandmother's side for the rest of the summer, isn't a productive way to spend your vacation. You will only be sixteen once and it's off to school again in September. You are in America and you should have a real American experience. Papa and I have signed you up for a summer sleep away camp only an hour and a half away. If we need you back here, it will be no problem. I hope that is okay?"  
  
Hermione took a moment to process all of the information. "But Grandma. . .?"  
  
"Papa and I will be here to see that everything is okay. Plus, Jennifer is a certified nurse. She will be in good care and she understands completely. In fact, she was the one who came up with the idea. Now go along and pack your things. We will leave tomorrow morning and you will stay there a month."  
  
"Okay, Mum. Whatever you say," Hermione said and went into her room to pack. 


End file.
